Ogilvie Platform Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element

Abstract

AbstractThe Ogilvie Platform Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element (CTSE) occupies an area of about 68 000 km2 in the northern part of the Yukon Territory of Canada, and includes all Paleozoic- and Triassic-aged strata between a base of Cambrian unconformity and a base of Jurassic and Cretaceous unconformity. This cratonic platform is composed of two lithologically distinct sedimentary successions: a lower suite of peritidal to shallow-subtidal, carbonate-dominated, Cambrian–Middle Devonian-aged units; and an upper succession of siliciclastic-dominated alluvial fan, shelf delta, nearshore, slope and basinal strata of Middle Devonian–Late Permian and Triassic age. The lower succession is composed of a synrift tectono-sedimentary element (TSE) and an overlying passive continental-margin TSE. The upper succession is composed of an Ellesmerian orogenic foreland TSE and a syn-epeirogenic TSE. The total discovered oil reserve within the Ogilvie Platform is estimated to be 1.757 × 106 m3 (11.05 MMbbl) and the total discovered gas reserve is estimated to be 2.376 × 109 m3 (83.7 Bcf) in four oil and gas pools. A variety of stratigraphic and structural trap types have been assessed to contain additional conventional hydrocarbon reserves, with a total mean potential of 33.4 × 106 m3 (210.1 MMbbl) of oil and 33.4 × 109 m3 (2.63 Tcf) of gas. The organic-rich shale and siltstone-dominated petroleum source-rock units, such as within the Road River Group, the Canol and Ford Lake formations, and organic-rich strata within the Hart River and Blackie formations, are also prospective for large reserves of unconventional oil and gas, and have yet to be formally assessed.